Type-packing mechanism.



No. 814,048. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1905. I'. A. JOHNSON.

TYPE PGXING MEGHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED HAY 6, 1904.

2 SHBETSSHBBT 1.

X25/ii. asses- I l/'E im. I] @QL/117 PATBNTED MAR. 6, 1965.

F. A. JHNSON.

TYPE PACKING MBGHANISM.

APPLIGATIN FILED HAY 6, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 24 Vin Figs. 1 and 2.

NTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK AMOS JOHNSON, OF NEW Yi'llti, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. TO THE UNITYPE COMPANY, OF MAN(,HES'1`ER, CONNEO'ilCUl, A (30ltlf(`)RA'l`lON OF NEW .l ICRSEY.

TY PE-PCKING NIEGHANISM.

To (t-il whom it nanny con/cern.:

Beit known that 1, FRANK Anios JonNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, count)T of N ew York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Packing Mechanism, iulljY described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the saine.

This invention relates to an improved packer for type-setting and similar machines in which. type are fed singly, the especial object ol the invention being to provide an ehicient mechanism for picking up type fed horizontally on their sides and placing them on their feet in a suitable receiving-channel or composing-stick.

The main features of the packer in its preferred form consist of a pair of gripping-fingers normallyT pressed into gripping position and opened as they are brought into position to seize the type, which fingers are oscillated to pick the type up from the carrier and raise them into a vertical position, a reciprocating striker which forces the type out of the grippers into the receiving-channel or composingstick, and a fecler or trigger device for rendering the gripping-fingers operative when a type is in position to be picked up.

The invention includes also various other features of construction and combinations of parts, all as fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of mechanism embodying the same in its preferred form will now be given in connection With the accompanyin drawings, in Whichigure 1 is a plan view of the packer as applied to a type-setting machine of a Wellnown type. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevatlon looking toward the right Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a part of the mechanism on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the gripping mechanism shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are details in plan. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates art of the main frame of a type-setting mac ine to which the packing mechanism and its support is attached, which machine may be the Well-known Thorne or Simplex machine.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Application Eled May 8,1904.

Patented March 6, 1966.

Serial No. 208,630.

Any suitable means may be employed for mounting the packing mechanism.I Preferably, however, and as shown there are provided iront and rear plates 1 and 2, which carry the gripper and operating mechanism and which are supported on the frame and spaced apart in any suitable manner, as by arms 3 and 4, mounted to swing on shaft 5 in a bracket 6 on main frame A, so that the packing mechanism may be swung outward away from the type-setting machine when desired. A portion of the type-carrier or rotating table or belt of the type-setting machine and the relation of the packer thereto are shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the type coming around on the carrier B in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 and being directed to the packer bv the guide a..

The gripper is oscillated ,from a horizontal to a vertical position b i a rock-shaft 7, suitably mounted in the p ates 1 and 2 and actuated through an arm 8 and eccentric-rod Q by an Veccentric 10, mounted on shaft 11 and driven by pulley 12. That part of the rockshaft which projects inside the plate 2 is enlarged and slotted to receive plates I7, in which the gripper-arms are pivot-ed, the front gripping-arm 17 bein Vpivoted at i8 and the rear arm 19 at 20. spring 21, secured to the plate 17, to which the arm 19 is pivoted, forces the arm 19 against the short end of the arm 17, thereby causing the outer or free ends of the arm 17 19 to constantly seek engagement. The arms are provided with gripping-iin ers, the arm 17 having a rigid nger 22 an the arm 19 havin pivoted gripping-fingers 23 on opposite sies of the fin- I ger 22.

The gripper-arms 17 and 19 being normally held in gripping contact, means are rovided for separating the arms so that the ngers may receive a type and for releasing the arms for gripping the type. For this purpose there 1s provided a slide 26, Which slide carries a tripper 25, which is a block having a wedge-surface adapted to engage a roil 24 at the outer end of the gripper-arm 17, so that the ripper-arms are opened against the action o? the spring 21 as theyY approach a horizontal position. The slide 26 carries an inclined stop-piece 37, which projects into the type-path and stops the tvpe in position to be taken by the gripper. rhe slide 26 has TOO at its opposite end a bell-crank or angle lever 27, one arm of which has a notch, as at 27a, which is engaged in a certain position by the end of the lever 28, which lever is pivoted at 29 on bracket 29 and vibrated continuously by cam 31 on shaft 11, acting on roll 30 on lever 28 and return-spring 33. The outer side of this notch is preferably inclined, as shown, for a purpose hereinafter described. The other arm of the bell-crank or angle lever 27 is pivoted to a connecting-rod 32, which rod. has at one end a hook 32a, adapted to be engaged by the end of the lever 28. The other end of the rod 32 is pivoted to an arm 34 on a short vertical shaft 35, carried by the slide 26. This shaft 35 carries at its lower end a f eeler-arm 36, which by the action of the spring 38, connecting the rod 32 and slide 26, is forced toward the type-path and stop-piece 37.

In delivering the t Tpe from the grippers the grippers are pre erably not caused to loosen their grip on the t rpe, but positive means are employed for 'orcing the typepiece from the grippers, assuring the proper delivery of the type. For this purpose a vibrating striker-arm 15 is employed, pivoted at 15a to the frame-plate 2 of the machine, which carries at its outer end the striker 16, the striker-arm beine operated by eccentric 13 on shaft 11 through eccentric-rod 14. The striker passes between theV gripper-arms in their vertical position and forces the type out of the grippers into a receiving chan nel or stick between a spring friction-piece 4() and rigid piece 41, which extends up from the frameplate 2, and the type pass and are held from return by spring-seated plungers 43 44, as usual in suc constructions. As shown, the receiving-stick consists of a rigid frame-piece 45 and a spring front piece 46 and is provided with a friction-follower 42 and is pivoted by the shaft 5 and held in receiving position by a spring 47, against the tension of which it can be swung around into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to a justifying or other mechanism.

The operation of the packer is as follows: Starting with the gri pers in a vertical position, the bowl 3() of ever 28 is then on the low part of cam 31 and the lever is at the end of its movement in one direction-that is, to the right in Figs. 1 and2 and the left in Figs. 4 to 8. As the cam 31 rotates the lever 28 is first given a ortion of its total movement toward the bel -crank lever 27, but stops before it engages the notched end of the lever. The hook 32a on the conecting-rod 32 being released by this movement of the lever 28, the connecting-rod 32 is now free to move and the spring 38 draws the connecting-rod into the position shown in Fig 5, thus forcing the feeler 36 toward the path of the ty e, so as to engage the type a; as the latter is ed a ainst the incline of the stop-piece 37, and t e inward movement of the feeler 36 is thus stopped, thus stopping the connecting-rod 32 with the notched arm of the bell-crank 27 in position for the lever 28 on its further movement to engage the notch on its further movement. Meanwhile the gripper-arms have been lnoved down to a horizontal iosition and the arm 1T been moved to open tlhe gripper-fingers by the engagement of the roll 24 with the wedge-piece 25, so that the gripperiingers are in position to seize the type when the roll 24 is released from the wedge-piece. All the parts are now in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Just as the gripper-fingers are approaching their horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4, the lever 28 receives its further movement to the right in these figures, and thus by engagement with the notched end of bell-crank 27 moves the slide 26 to the right from the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, carr Ting the wed e-piece 25 out of contact with tie roll 24 and permittin the gripperfingers to close on the type. T is movement is so timed that the wedge-piece is carried out of contact with the roll 24 at the moment when the gripper-fingers reach their horizontal osition onopposite sides of the type-path, andp the type is thus gripped as soon as the gripper-fingers reach the proper position on opposite sides of the type. The edge ol' the lever 28 engaging the incline on the outer side of the notch 27'al rocks the lever 27 slightly, and when the lever 28 reaches the bottom of the notch it insures the feeler 36 being in its outer position, thus relieving all pressure on the type as it is lifted by the grippers. All the parts are now in the position shown in Fig. 6. The lever 28 continuing its forward movement forces the slide 26 still farther to the right from the position shown in Fig. 6 and frees the type end from the feeler 36 and stop-piece 37 as shown in Fig. 7, and the gripper-arms then begin their upward movement, carrying the ty )e with them. The cam 31 now releases the lever 28, which is drawn backward bv the spring 33, and the lever en aging the hook 32a on rod 32 carries the roc? and slide 26 backward to their normal positions, and the wedge-piece 37 is thus brought again into the path of the roll 24, all the parts being thus brought into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which show the gripper in its upward movement carrying the type. When the gripper carrying the type is in its vertical position, the strikerarm 15 moves toward the receiving channel or stick, and the striker 16 forces the type out of the gri pers into the receiving-channel` the gripper tiien returning to the type-path. Fig. 8 shows these parts in the position they occupy after the striker has forced the type from the gripper into the receiving-channel or stick past the spring-plungers 43 44 and the gripper is moving back to the horizontal position to receive the next type. The operation is as above, assuming that a type has been fed into position between the stop 37 and the feeler 36. Il no type is in position to be en raged by the feeler 36 as the latter is move inward on the release el' the hook 32 of rod V32, the feeler 36 moves inward sull]- ciently to draw the connecting-rod 32 into such a position that the notched end of the bell-crank 27' is thrown out el the path of the lever 28, so that the further movement of the lever 28 does not move the slide 26, and the lever 28 simply returns the connecting-rod 32 on its backward movement, this operation being repeated at each movement of the lever 28 unless a type is in position to be engaged by the feeler 36 on its inward movement.

The double finger 23, in connection with the single finger 22, prevents the ty e swinging in the fingers as they are raise so that there is no danger of the type swinging in the gripper-fingers on their upward movement. It will be seen also that the two arts of this double linger 23 find their equi ibrium on a type, so as to assure a firm hold, while permitting the end of the type to be moved slightly. Without this freedom of movement the mechanism would have to be made with great accuracy to enable the fingers to get a lirin hold of the type while its front end is held between the Wedge 87 and feeler 36.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction shown, but that many modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention defined by the claims. It will be understood also that the invention is not limited to mechanism in which type are changed from horizontal to vertical position, but the broader features of the invention mag7 be embodied in type-packin mechanism o other classes.

hat l claim is- 1. The combination with type-feeding means, of a gripper having gripping-lingers normally pressed into gripping position, means for separating said fingers and releasing them to receive and seize a type, and a striker for forcing the type from the grippers.

2. The combination with type-feeding means, of a grip er having gripping-fingers normally presse into ripping position, a feeler engaging a type W en in position to be seized, means for separating the lingers, and means controlled by the feeler for releasing the ln ers to seize a type.

3. T e combination with type-feeding means, of a grip er having gripping-lingers normall presse into gri ping position, a tripper or separating the ngers as the gripper a proaches the type-path, and means for with raWing the tripper to release the grippers when a. t e is in position to be seized by the fin ers, an means for delivering the type from t e grippers.

4. The combination with type-feeding means, of an oscillating gripper having gripping-lingers normallyr pressed into gripping position, a tripper for separating the lingers as the gripper approaches the type-path, a feeler mounted to move across the type-path, and devices controlled by said feeler to withdraw the tripper and release the lingers when a type is engaged by the feeler.

5v 'Ilie combination with type-feeding means, oi an oscillating gripper having gripping-lingers normally pressed into gripping position, a tripper for separating the lingers as the gripper approaches the type-path, a Jfeels-r mounted to in ove across the type-path, devices controlled by said feeler to Withdraw the tripper and release the lingers when a type is engaged by the feeler, and a reciproeating striker for forcing the type from the grippers.

(i. The combination with type-feeding means, of an inclined stop-piece for the type, a feeler moving toward and from said stoppiece, a gripper having gripping-ingers normally pressed into gripping position, a tripperfor separating the lingers to receive a type when in position between the stop-piece and feeler, and devices controlled by the feeler for withdrawing the tripper to release the fingers for gripping the type.

'7. The combination With type-feeding means, of an inclined stop-piece for. the type,

a feeler moving toward and from said stoppiece, an oscillating grip er having grippinglingers normally pressed) into gripping position, a tripper for separating the lingers to receive a type when in position between the stop piece and feeler, devices controlled bythe feeler for withdrawing the tripper to release the lingers for gripping the type, and a striker for forcing the type from the grippers.

8. The combination with means for feeding type horizontally on their sides, of a griper for picking up the type, ineens for oscilating said gripper to bring the type to a substantially vertical position, and means for deliverin the ty e from the grippers.

9. T e combination with means for feeding type horizontally on their sides, of a gripper for picking up the type, means for oscilating said gripper to bring the type to a substantially vertical position, and a striker for delivering the t pe from the gripper.

10. The com mation with means for feeding type horizontally on their sides, of a gripper having gripping-fingers normally pressed into grippin position, means for oscillating said ripper omasubstantiallyhorizontal to a su stantially vertical position, means for separating the fin ers and releasing them to pick up the type wen the gripper is in a horizontal osition, and a reci rocating striker for forcing the type from t e gripper When the latter is in a vertical position.

11. The combination with a type-carrier, of a gripper moving toward and from the car- ICO IIO

ricr and having gripping-lingers normally held in gripping osition, means for holding the fingers out o. gripping position during a portion of the gripper movement toward the carrier and releasingr the fingers to grip the type, and a striker or forcing the type from the fingers.

12. The combination with a type-carrier, of a gripper moving toward and from the carrier, gripping-ngers normally held in gripping position, a wedge-piece acting on one member of the gripper to hold the fingers out of gripping position during a portion of their movement toward the type-carrier, and means for withdrawing the wedge-piece to release the fingers to grip the type.

13. The combination with a type-carrier, of a gripper moving toward and from the carrier, gripping-fingers normally held in gripping position, a wedge-piece acting on one member of the gripper to hold the iingers out of gripping position during a portion of their movement toward the type-carrier, a feeler engaged by the type when in position for the gripper, and means controlled by the Jfeeler for withdrawing the wedge-piece to release the fingers to grip the type.

14. The combination with. oscillating springpressed gripper-arms 17, 19, and means for opening and grip a type, of reciprocating striker 16 for forcing the type out of said gripper, substantially as described.

15. The combination with oscillating springpressed grip er-arins 17, 19, and means for opening an releasing said arms to receive and grip a type, of reciprocating striker 16 for forcing the type out of said gripper, a stick into which the tvpe is Jforced by the striker,

and spring-stopsifor holding the type in the i stick, substantially as described.

16. In mechanism for handling type, a type-gripper having the single finger 22 on one side and the pivoted linger 23 having and releasing said arms to receive gripping-surfaces on opposite sides of the `iinger 22, substantially as described.

17. The combination with type feeding iiieans,of the inclined stop-piece 37 and feeler 36, spring-pressed gripper-arins 17, 19, grippcr-iinger 22 on one of said arms and pivoted gripper-finger 23 on the other arin having gripping-surfaces on opposite sides of the 1inger 22, substantially as described,

18. The combination with the springpressed gripper-arms 17, 19, of stop-piece 37, wedge-piece 25 acting on one of said arins during its movement toward the type to open the gripper to receive a type, and means for withdrawing the wedge-piece for releasing the grip ers to seize the type.

19. T ie combination with the springpressed gripper-arms 17, 19, of stop-piece 37, wedge-piece25 acting on one of said arms during its movement toward the type to open the gripper to receive a type, pivoted springpressed feeler 36 opposite stop 37, and means controlled by the feeler for withdrawing the wedge-piece when a type is between the stop and feeler, substantially as described.

20. The combination of the oscillating spring-pressed gripper-arins 17, 19, slide 26 carrying wedgeiiece 25 for separating the arms, feeler 86 pivoted on the slide, connecting-rod 32 having a spring connection with slide 26, lever 27 connecting-rod 32-and slide 26, and oscillating lever 28 engaging lever 27 l to move the slide when a type is in position for the gripper and acting to return the rod and slide to normal position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK AMOS JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

J. A. GRAVES, C. J. SAWYER. 

